Buckle for Fixing Accessories

ABSTRACT

A buckle for the fixing of accessories and in particular for the fixing of diving accessories, such as, for example a torch, to a diving jacket. The buckle comprises a male and a female portion that can be hitched to one another and connected to the accessory and the jacket by hitching means, such as rings or spring catches. The portions of the buckle are provided with a connection element that maintains its mechanical connection even in buckle release conditions. Advantageously, in the male and female portions of the buckle there are fixing seats that accommodate both the connection element and the hitching means for the items of clothing and for the accessories.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The following invention relates to a buckle for the fixing ofaccessories on items of clothing, and, in particular, a buckle for thefixing of diving accessories, such as for example, a torch, ontovariable-trim jackets for diving.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In particular, systems for making buckles for fixing articles to varioustypes of items of clothing are known. This need, which in the clothingsector is dictated essentially by aesthetic motivations, is veryimportant in the diving sector.

In fact, divers often have to carry with them during a dive a pluralityof accessories, such as, for example, a torch or a camera, all of whichmust be joined to the jacket.

It is in actual fact very important that the diver's equipment is asclose together as possible and remains close to the body to improve thehydrodynamics of the diver, to prevent the risk of damaging theunderwater environment or to avoid catching the equipment againstobstacles.

Buckle structures are therefore known having a male portion and a femaleportion for rapid connection and release, wherein said portions are inturn respectively connected to the item of clothing or jacket and theaccessory to be attached.

To avoid that in release position there is a risk of losing theaccessory, especially during a dive and to make it possible to alwayshave the hands free even in release position, it is known to fit theportions of the buckle with a connection element, such as, for example,an elastic cord that, in addition to preventing the accessory from beinglost, also makes it possible to take the accessory away from the item ofclothing. This possibility is particularly felt in diving when, forexample, it is necessary to grasp the torch and light up a precisepoint.

However, the solutions of the known art present certain drawbacks.

In actual fact, the buckles of the known art comprise a plurality ofhitching rings and relative straps to allow the joining of the portionof the buckle and the connection element.

In this way, the structure of the buckle is relatively complex to makeand assemble.

Furthermore, the connecting straps can be easily caught in the equipmentand they constitute easily deteriorable elements if subject to thecorrosive action of seawater.

The need is therefore felt for a buckle structure that allows the mobilefixing of equipment and that at the same time has a simple and sturdyconstruction so as to avoid early wear and possible catching of theequipment that would be tiresome and also dangerous during a dive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of this invention is to make a buckle that resolves the citeddrawbacks of the known art.

These drawbacks and limitations are resolved by a buckle as describedbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of this invention will be furtherevident in the description that follows of its preferred andnon-limiting embodiments, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a buckle in agreement with one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the buckle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the detail of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further detail of the buckle of FIG.1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the detail of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a further detail of the buckle of FIG.1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a further detail of the buckle of FIG.1;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the detail of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a detail of thebuckle of FIG. 1.

The elements or parts of elements in common between the embodimentsdescribed below will be indicated with the same numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the above figures, 4 globally indicates a buckle forthe fixing of articles on items of clothing or travel equipment, and inparticular for the fixing of diving accessories to diving jackets.

For example, a typical use of the buckle according to the presentinvention consists in fixing diving torches to diving jackets.

The buckle 4 comprises a female portion 8 and a male portion 12, thatcan be hitched with one another, for example according to a clipcoupling.

According to one possible embodiment, the male portion 12 comprises atleast one tine 16 suited to hitching elastically in a correspondingrecess 20 of the female portion 8. Preferably the tine 16 is accessiblefrom outside, so as to be able to release the buckle manually. It isalso possible to make a buckle 4 wherein the male and female portions12, 8 are releasable using a button. Preferably said male and femaleportions 12, 8 are made in polymeric material, resistant to thecorrosion of the water.

Each portion 8, 12 is provided with hitching means 24 for hitching thesame portions of the buckle 4 respectively to items of clothing and/oraccessories.

For example, the hitching means can comprise a ring 28, preferably in ametal material, that can be easily hitched to a jacket loop to join thebuckle to the same jacket.

According to one embodiment, the hitching means 24 include a springcatch 32, provided with a spring clip 36, used for example to hitch anaccessory, such as a torch.

Preferably, the buckle 4 comprises a connection element 40 connectingsaid male and female portions 12,8 to one another in both a hitchingconfiguration and a release configuration, to guarantee a mechanicalconnection between the male and female portions also in a releaseconfiguration thereof. In other words, the male and female portions arealways joined together, to avoid accidental loss of the accessory whenthe buckle is opened.

For example, the connection element 40 is an extendible elastic cable ora spiral cable, which is also extendible, so as to allow the controlledmoving away of the accessory from the jacket, after having released thebuckle 4.

Advantageously, in the male 12 and female 8 portions there are fixingseats 44 that accommodate both separate portions of the connectionelement 40 and the hitching means 24 for the items of clothing and forthe accessories.

In other words, the hitching means 24 and the connection element 40 areconnected directly to the fixing seats 44 made on the male 12 and female8 portions of the buckle 4, without the interposition of furtherelements, such as, for example, laces or ties for example in fabric.

According to one embodiment, the fixing seats 44 house a pin 48mechanically connected to at least one of the portions of the connectionelement 40.

Preferably, the male 12 and female 8 portion each comprise a pin 48mechanically connected to an extremity 52 of the connection element 40.

For example, the rug 48 comprises a cavity 56 that houses an extremity52 of the connection element 40.

According to one embodiment, the extremity 52 is trapped inside thecavity 56.

For example, the pin 48 comprises at least one tooth 60, suited to beingjoined in a recess made in the fixing seat 44.

Preferably, the tooth 60 is elastically joined to the pin 48 so as toallow a click hitching of the pin 48 in the respective fixing seat 44.

The pin 48 may be arranged laterally with respect to the male 12 andfemale 8 portions, so as to arrange the extremity 52 of the connectionelement 40 in a transverse direction Y-Y with respect to ahitching/releasing direction X-X of the buckle 4.

The fixing seats 44 comprise at least one fixing hole 68 that houses thehitching means 24 for the items of clothing and accessories.

The fixing holes 68 are associated to the ring 28 and the spring catch32 for the connection of the buckle 4 to the jacket and the relativeaccessory.

According to one possible further form of embodiment, the spring catch32 is joined to the fixing hole 68 by the interposition of an elastichook 72 having a ring-shaped portion 76 provided with a notch 80 forgiving elasticity to the hook.

The method for the making/assembly of a buckle according to theinvention will now be described.

In particular, the male 12 and female 8 portions of the buckle 4 aremade by molding, preferably in a polymer material.

The extremities 52 of the connection element 40 are connected to thepins 48, for example by forced or clip connection or by gluing.

The pins 48 are inserted into the relative fixing seat 44, so that theteeth 60 flex elastically towards the interior of the cavity 56 so as topinch the corresponding extremity 52 of the connection element 40 (FIG.9); the teeth 60 then fit onto the respective male or female portion ofthe buckle guaranteeing a secure fixing of the pin 48 and therefore ofconnection element 40.

In this way, after the insertion of the pins, the teeth open and preventany possible detachment of the pins 48 from the seats 44.

The hitching means are then associated to the seats 44 of the buckle 4.

For example the ring 28, preferably in metal material, can be insertedtaking care to previously open the coils of the same so as to allow themto cross from one edge of the same.

The insertion of the spring catch 32 may take place directly on the seat44 by the interposition of a further metal elastic ring or, morepreferably, by means of the interposition of the elastic hook 72.

In particular, the elastic hook 72 is provided with a notch 80 thatmakes it possible to open the extremities of the hook 72 and to allowits clip fixing into the fixing hole 68.

As can be illustrated by the description, the buckle according to theinvention makes it possible to overcome the drawbacks presented in theknown art.

In particular, the buckle is externally compact and therefore reducesthe risk of possible tangling with the equipment or the divingenvironment.

Furthermore, the buckle does not envisage fabric straps of any kind thatcould in the long term be damaged by repeated rubbing and the corrosiveaction of seawater.

Therefore, the fixing of the connection element is extremely safe andthe risk of accidentally loosing the accessory the buckle is connectedto, during the condition of release due to sudden breakage of the samestraps, is avoided.

The compact and shortened size of the buckle, compared to the systems ofthe known art, makes it possible to maintain the equipment oraccessories connected to it, in a position next to the body of thewearer and therefore favour the hydrodynamics of the diver and at thesame time they further prevent the equipment from colliding with thediving environment.

Furthermore, the positioning of the connection element in a transversedirection with respect to the direction of hitching/release of thebuckle makes use of the buckle even easier. In fact, unlike the bucklesof the known art, the connection element does not interfere with thebuckle, but rather is in a lateral position to it, thus allowing theuser to hitch and release the buckle even with just one hand.

A man skilled in the art, in order to satisfy contingent and specificrequirements, will be able to make various modifications and variants tothe buckles described above, all of which being within the scope of thisinvention as defined by the following claims.

1. A buckle for the fixing of articles on items of clothing or travelequipment, and in particular for the fixing of diving accessories todiving jackets, comprising a female and a male portion, that can behooked together, each female and male portion being fitted with hookingmeans for hooking the portions of the buckle to items of clothing and/oraccessories, a connection element connecting said male and femaleportions to one another in both a hooking configuration and an unhookingconfiguration, to guarantee a mechanical connection between the male andfemale portions also in an unhooking configuration thereof, wherein inthe male and female portions of the buckle there are fixing seats thathouse both individual portions of the connection element and the hookingmeans for items of clothing and accessories.
 2. The buckle according toclaim 1, wherein the fixing seats house a pin mechanically connected toat least one of said portions of the connection element.
 3. The buckleaccording to claim 1, wherein the pin comprises a cavity that houses anextremity of the connection element.
 4. The buckle according to claim 3,wherein said extremity is trapped inside the cavity.
 5. The buckleaccording to claim 2, wherein the pin comprises at least one tooth thattraps the pin in the respective fixing seat.
 6. The buckle according toclaim 5, wherein said tooth is elastically joined to the pin so as toallow an elastic gripping of the relative extremity of the connectionelement housed in a cavity of the pin.
 7. The buckle according to claim2, wherein said pin is arranged laterally with respect to the male andfemale portions, so as to arrange the extremity of the connectionelement in a transverse direction with respect to a hooking/unhookingdirection of the buckle.
 8. The buckle according to claim 1, wherein thefixing seats comprise at least one fixing hole that houses the hookingmeans for the items of clothing and accessories.
 9. The buckle accordingto claim 8, wherein the fixing hole is associated with at least one ringfor connecting the buckle to a jacket.
 10. The buckle according to claim8, wherein the fixing hole is connected to a spring catch fitted with aclip.
 11. The buckle according to claim 10, wherein the spring catch isjoined to the fixing hole by the interposition of an elastic hook. 12.The buckle according to claim 11, wherein the elastic hook comprises aring-shaped portion fitted with a notch to confer elasticity to thehook.
 13. The buckle according to claim 1, wherein the connectionelement is an extendible elastic cable.
 14. The buckle according toclaim 1, wherein the connection element is a spiral cable.
 15. Thebuckle according to claim 1, wherein the male portion comprises at leastone tine suited to elastically hooking into a corresponding recess ofthe female portion, the tine being accessible from outside the buckle soas to permit manual hooking/unhooking of the buckle.
 16. The buckleaccording to claim 1, wherein said male and female portions are madeusing polymeric material.